Cost of Living Comparison Between San Francisco and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between San Francisco and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,571 in San Francisco versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,376 in San Francisco versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,181 in San Francisco versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in San Francisco is roughly 9% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Francisco 17% above, Mexico City 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.04 ₡4,989

$12.98 MX$223

-14.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 ₡27.5K

$52.6 MX$903

15.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 ₡4,615

$9.43 MX$162

8.27%

Cappuccino

$3.73 ₡1,685

$3.57 MX$61.3

4.48%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₡888

$1.61 MX$27.55

22.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₡739

$1.15 MX$19.81

42.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 ₡1,360

$3.15 MX$54.0

-4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 ₡2,121

$4.86 MX$83.4

-3.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₡928

$1.70 MX$29.17

20.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 ₡1,267

$2.64 MX$45.23

6.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₡995

$1.90 MX$32.67

15.79%

Eggs

$2.88 ₡1,301

$2.54 MX$43.62

13.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 ₡4,420

$10.08 MX$173

-2.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.87 ₡4,007

$8.29 MX$142

7.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 ₡6,094

$11.57 MX$199

16.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 ₡2,078

$3.03 MX$52.0

51.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₡664

$1.71 MX$29.35

-14.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 ₡1,880

$2.05 MX$35.16

102.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 ₡1,538

$2.06 MX$35.36

65.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 ₡1,538

$2.06 MX$35.43

65.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 ₡1,417

$2.17 MX$37.25

44.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₡466

$1.40 MX$24.08

-26.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,328

$1.12 MX$19.26

162.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.39 ₡2,433

$4.29 MX$73.7

25.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.31 ₡9,626

$15.41 MX$265

38.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₡1,130

$1.67 MX$28.74

49.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₡1,314

$3.69 MX$63.3

-21.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₡442

$0.38 MX$6.55

157.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₡842

$1.38 MX$23.70

34.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 ₡847

$0.28 MX$4.74

567.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.00 ₡3,613

$5.42 MX$92.9

47.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₡639

$1.28 MX$21.98

10.16%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.2K ₡16.8M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

96.21%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.5K ₡14.7M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

38.51%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$93.1 ₡42.0K

$41.02 MX$704

126.84%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.57 ₡11.6K

$26.92 MX$462

-5.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.86 ₡18.0K

$29.69 MX$510

34.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 ₡25.3K

$52.3 MX$898

7.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.75 ₡10.7K

$26.23 MX$450

-9.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.84 ₡4,448

$6.18 MX$106

59.22%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$561 ₡253.5K

$427 MX$7,331

31.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.8M

$10.7K MX$183.6K

19.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 ₡28.0K

$56.8 MX$975

8.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 ₡23.6K

$44.83 MX$769

16.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡56.3K

$105 MX$1,794

19.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.2K

$106 MX$1,819

0.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$772 ₡349.0K

$995 MX$17.1K

-22.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$590 ₡266.7K

$621 MX$10.7K

-4.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,533 ₡692.5K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-27.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$949 ₡428.7K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-24.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

11.34

-10.32%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for San Francisco: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $772 in San Francisco and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in San Francisco vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $288 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

San Francisco vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Francisco and Mexico City differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,571 vs $1,447 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,356 in San Francisco and $2,171 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $772 in San Francisco versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in San Francisco versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $61.0 in San Francisco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,571 in San Francisco, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in San Francisco. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, San Francisco and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in San Francisco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.